Cleaning process for water-pipes.



W. REDEKER.

CLEANING PROCESS FOR WATER PIPES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1910 RENEWED JAN.31,1912.

-\MTNESEIESI Patented July 30, 1912.

UNITED PATENT- OFFICE.

GEORGE W. BEDEKER, 0F WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

CLEANING PROCESS FOR W'ATER-PIPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 3, 1910, Serial No. 575,364.

To (ZZZ 001mm, it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE lV. REDEKER, acitizen of the United States of America, and resident of lVheeling,county of Ohio, and State of lVcst Virginia, 11: ve invented cert-21innew and useful Improvements in (leaning Processes for VVater-Pipes, ofwhich the follmving is a specification.

This invention relates to a process for flushing or cleaning waterservice pipes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a process wherebysediment and obstructions in house-service water pipes may be readilyremoved from any convenient ac- 1 rossible point therein and without thenecessity of digging up streets and sidewalks to obtain direct access tothe clogged or obstructed point or points.

A further object is to provide a process whereby the sediment andobstructions contained in house-service water pipes is discharged fromsaid pipes into the open rather than into the mains from which saidpipes are supplied.

In carrying out the aforesaid process, the apparatus illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, may beadvantageously employed.

In said drawing, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of said apparatusapplied to a water service line, the pressure-tank inclosing cylinderbeing shown in longitudinal section; and Fig. 2 is a section on the line2-2, Fig. 1.

Referring to said drawing, in which like designating charactersdistinguish like parts throughout the several views-1 indicates a tankwhich is preferably filled with carbonic acid gas at high pressure, butwhich may contain any other suitable compressed gas, air, gas-formingchemicals, or gaseous or liquid material capable of dischargingtherefrom at continued high pressure. Said tank is preferably inclosedwithin a closed cylinder or casing 2 for a pur-. pose which willpresently be explained.

A suitable valve 3 is provided at the discharge end of the tank, thesame'beingoperated in any appropriate manner, as by a key 4 directedthrough the adjacent end of Patented July 30, 1912.

Renewed January 31, 1912. Serial No. 674,629.

the cylinder 2. Leading from said valve andextending outward throughsaid cylinder 1s a small discharge pipe 5 which is connected to a largerpipe 6 having a gatevalve 7 thereon, the last-mentioned pipe beingconnected to one end of a pipe 8 whose opposite end is adapted forhaving a flexible pipe or hose 9 attached thereto. Said hose is adaptedfor having its opposite end attached to a house-service water pipe 10 atany suitable point, as at a faucet or other convenient point foradmitting the applied pressure to said service pipes.

A pressure gage 11 and a pop safety or relief valve 12 are provided onthe pipe 8, the former for indicating the pressure admittedtheret-hrough to the service pipes, and the latter for permitting of theescape of pressure when it exceeds a predetermined point, preventingbursting of pipes.

In practice, when the hose connection has been made to the servicepipes, the gatevalve 7 is opened so as to allow the water in said pipesto flow back to the valve 3 of the pressure tank 1. The said valve 3 isthen opened quickly to suddenly release a heavy, or the full, pressureof the gas in the tank. Owing to the fact that water is practicallynon-compressible, the impact of the gas with the column of water, due tothe sudden release of the gas, produces a violent shock and induces asudden recoil in the watcr column which extends throughout the entirelength of the service pipes. This violent movement of the Water,resulting from the impact, loosens or detaches the scale, sediment andother foreign matter in the pipes. The valves 3 and 7 are thensimultaneously closed. and a valve 14 in a drainpipe 15 connected to thepipe 8 is immediately opened. This permits the water in the service ipesto rush out through drainpipe 15 un er full pressure, carrying therewiththe dislodged foreign matter; or, if desired, the hose may bedisconnected from the faucet and said matter permitted to discharge fromthe latter.

In some cases it will be found that the pipes have become corroded, orthat an 0bstruction exists in the pipes which effectually resistsdislodgment under the violent shock due to the sudden release of thegas. In such cases, I inter-pose between the hose 9 and the service pipe10 a connection which is herein designated generally by the numeral16and which consists of a pipe 17 having direct connection at its oppositeends with said hose 9 and pipe 10, and a by-pass pipe 18 connected atopposite ends to said pipe 17 adjacent'to the ends of the latter. A pairof gate-valves 19 is provided on said pipe 17 between the connectionsof. the bypass pipe thereto, one of said gate-valves being locatedadjacent to each of said connections. The portion of said pipe 17 whichis between said gate-valves is filled with:a

material which, when forced through the service pipes, will scrape andscour said pipes, cracked ice being preferably employed for thispurpose, for the reason that portions thereof remaining in the pipeswill readily melt and present no obstruction.

Either prior to the application of the pres-' sure from the tank 1, orprior to closing off said pressure, as hereinbefore explained, ac-

cording to the direction which it is desired the ice shall take, thegate-valves 19 are opened and the valves 20 adjacent to opposite ends ofby-pass pipe 18 are closed. The application of pressure from the tank,applied slowly or the pressure of water returning from the main, as thecase may be, forces the ice through the pipes, the irregular edges ofthe ice serving to effectually scrape and scour said pipes and to. carrytherebefore the dislodged foreign matter contained by the latter. Whenit is desired to direct the ice and dislodged material outward throughthe hose, the pipe 17 is filled with ice and the gate valves 19 closed.The valves 20 then being opened, the water from the main passes aroundon both sides of the pipe 17 through the by-pass pipe 18. Then thevalves 20 are closed, the valves 19 are opened, and a faucet is opened,whereupon the water from the main advances the ice toward the said openfaucet.

Carbonic acid gas discharged from the tank 1 under high pressure willquickly cause vapor or moisture to freeze and thus effectually close thevalve 3 and small discharge pipe 5. To avoid this freezing, suitablemeans is preferably employed for directing heat against said valve 3.While. any preferred means may be resorted to,

that shown in the drawings has been found efficient for the purpose, thesame consisting of a small boiler 21 having a steam-pipe 22 leadingtherefrom through the cylinder 2 and adapted to discharge steam againstsaid valve 3. A throttle valve 23, a steam-gage 24, and a pop safetyvalve 25 are preferably provided in said steam-pipe, as shown. Water issupplied to the boiler in any appropriate manner, as by a pipe 26connected to the pipe 8, a valve 27 being provided in said pipe 26.

The cylinder 2 serves to confine thesteam discharged from steam-pipe 22,which steam is utilized for heating the tank, causing the inclosed gasto expand, a and, consequently,

'increasing the pressure. Adjustable oppositely disposed clamps areemployed for supporting the tank 1 within the cylinder 2, said clampscomprising curved supporting plates 28' having stems 29 fixed theretoand pro iected outward through the cylinder wal What I claim, is

1. The process of flushing house-service water pipes which consists indirecting gas at highpressure into said pipes to produce a violentimpact with the water .in the latter,

and then closing off the gas to allow the water to discharge from saidpipes.

2. The process of flushing house-service water pipes which consists in'connecting a tank containing a highly compressed gas or liquid to aservice pipe, discharging contents of said tank into said pipe at highpressure to produce a violent impact with the water in said pipe, thencutting off the forcing pressure, and then allowing the water tounobstructedly discharge fromsaid pipe.

3. The process of flushing house-service water pipes which consists inconnecting a tank containing a highly compressed gas or liquid to aservice pipe, discharging contents of said tank into said pipe at highpressure to impart a violent shock to the column of water in the latter,then cutting oil the forcing pressure, and then opening a pipe to allowthe water to discharge through the opened pipe.

4. The process of flushing house-service water pipeswhich consists inconnecting a carbonic acid gas tank to a service pipe, discharging gasfrom said tank at high pressure to impart a violent shock to the columnof water in the service pipes, then cutting off said pressure andopening one of said pipes to allow the water to discharge through theopened pipe.

. 5. The process of flushing house-service water pipes which consists insuitably connecting a valve-closed carbonic acid gas tank to a servicepipe at a point remote from the supply main, opening the valve of saidtank to discharge gas into the pipe at high pressure to impact violentlywith the water in said pipe, then cutting off the gas pressure from saidpipe and opening the latter to allow the water to discharge from saidpipe.

6. The process. of flushing house-service waterpipes which consists inconnectin a carbonic acid gas tank to a service pipe, is-

charging gas from said tank at high pres- In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature sure to impact violently with the water in in presence oftwo subscribing witnesses. the service pipes, directing heat against thetank-valve, then cutting ofi the pressure GEORGE REDEKER' 5 from saidtank and opening one of said Witnesses: a

pipes to allow the water to discharge EDMUND C. WHITEHEADQ through theopened pipe. H. E. DEMLAK.

